Door signal device



c G. NIETO DOOR SIGNAL DEVICE Filed Dec. 31 19 F594 Q21, 5 M570.

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Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a combined push button controlled audibleindicator and an illuminated indicator, especially adapted for use inthe vestibule of a home, apartment house or similar place; and a primaryobject of the present invention is to provide a visual signal toindicate the absence of the occupant, said signal being controlled by akey operated lock switch, whereby said switch may be locked in operativeposition by the occupant when he leaves, such visual indicator beingcombined with an audible indicator in such a manner as to be controlledby said lock switch to cut out the visual indicator and cut in theaudible indicator, whereby the latter may be made operative when theoccupant is in, to be operated by the usual push button.

A further object is to combine with a device of this character, acompartment illuminated by a lamp controlled by saidzkey controlledswitch, whereby said visual indicator is made visible, and also amessage carried by a slide insertable in said compartment is madevisible.

Other objects and advantages of the present construction will more fullyappear from the following description and accompanying drawing whereinFigure 1 is a front elevation of a device illustrative of an embodimentof the present invention with portions broken away and in section toshow interior parts;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section substantially upon the line 22of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail showing, in plan view, the lamp and circuitcontrolling, key operated switch; and

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram including therein a power transformer, a pushbutton, a bell, a resistance, a lamp, and a key controlled switch.

Referring to the drawing, I indicates a suitable casing or boxpreferably formed of sheet metal, the front wall of which is formed withtwo rectangular openings 2 and 3, the opening 2 being closed by atransparent window 4 and the opening 3 by a hinged door 5, and on thiswindow is printed or otherwise formed, the words Not at Home or otherdesired data. The lower opening 3 is preferably of larger area than theopening or slot 2 and is closed by an inside transparent window or panel4, so that by swinging the door 5, a message or other writing orprinting on a card placed in a slide 1 at the back of the casing, may beread through said window. This slide is adapted to engage withinhorizontal channel ways 8 in the casing and is insertable endwisethrough a suitable slot in an end wall of the casing with an end portionthereof projecting therefrom so that it may be conveniently removed.

An arm vorchannel member 9 depends from and is formed integral at itsupper end with the lower end wall of the casing, and at its lower end,this arm is formed to carry a push button casing ID in which is mountedthe usual push button II, the wires leading from said button beingcarried up through the arm 9, into the casing I and connected to acircuit in which is included a lamp and a suitable key controlledswitch. This switch comprises a suitable lock I2 secured to an end wallof the casing I near its upper end and operable by a key I3 insertablefrom outside into the lock, which lock has a bolt l4 adapted to beprojected by said key, into contact with a contact member I5 which formsa shunt around a lamp I6 mounted on a suitable U-shaped bracket Iliawith said member insulated from said bracket by an insulator IIib but inelectrical connection with said lamp, one leg of said bracket beingsecured to said lock casing I2 to support said bracket, contact membersand lamp.

The push button I0 includes the usual spaced terminals I'I connected inthe electrical circuit, to be connected when the button II] is depressedagainst the action of the usual spring I8, one of the wires I9 leadingfrom one of said terminals being connected to said bracket I611 andthrough it to the lock I2; and the wire 20 leading from the otherterminal I'I being extended and connected to one terminal of the usualdoor bell or buzzer 2I located at any suitable place in the house. Theother terminal of the bell is connected in the usual way to thesecondary of a transformer 24 connected within the power or supplycircuit or lines 22 as indicated in Figure 4, there being a suitableresistance 23 connected across the leads to said bell. A wire 25connects the secondary of the transformer to the contact member I5 andthe lamp I6 is therefore in series with the push button and bell andalso with the secondary of the transformer 24, the resistance 23 servingas a shunt across the bell terminals.

When the the bolt I4 of the lock I2 is retracted, the shunt around thelamp formed by said lock is broken and full current flows through thelamp, causing it to light up when the circuit is closed by depressingthe button. The bell will not, however, be operated when the lamp isthus lighted, due to the resistance of the lamp and also to theresistance 23 which shunts part of the remaining current around thebell, so that not sufiicient current will flow through the bell to causeit to sound. However, when the lamp is shunted by the operation of thelook by its key and the projecting of the bolt I4 into contact with thecontact member l5, the bell will then ring, upon depression of the pushbutton, as full current will then flow through the circuit past the lampand this flow will be sufficient to ring the bell, even though it bedivided by the resistance 23.

By this arrangementwhen the occupant leaves, he can, by operating thelock switch [2 by its key, which he will remove after operation, causethe lamp to light, at the same time cutting out the bell so that it willnot ring, and the interior of the casing I will be illuminated to makethe sign Not at Home visible through the opening 2, and if he sodesires, he may leave a note upon a card placed in the slide 1, thisnote being also illuminated and made visible to the caller by openingthe door 5. When he returns, he will again operate the lock switch byits key to project its bolt into engagaement with the contact member,thereby short circuiting the lamp and making the bell operative when thepush button is pressed. Therefore when the occupant is at home, the bellwill be operated in the usual manner of such bells and the other signalwill be inoperative, but when he goes out, by simply throwing the keyswitch, he places the bell circuit in such condition that the bell willnot ring while he is away, and the visual signal and any data he maywish to leave in the casing, will be made visible whenever the pushbutton is pressed. The device is ornamental yet simple in constructionand cheap to manufacture, and while it is illustrated as formed fromsheet metal, obviously any suitable material or form may be employed.Other changes in the construction or arrangement of parts may also bemade without depart- ';ing from the spirit of the invention, and suchchanges are contemplated.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, a main casing having anopening, a key operated lock switch including a casing mounted withinsaid main casing, a lamp within said main casing visible through saidopening, a bracket secured to said casing of said lock switch forsupporting said lamp and electrically connected to one terminal of saidlamp, a contact member carried by and electrically insulated from saidbracket and electrically connected to the other terminal of said lamp tobe contacted by a member projected by said lock to form a shunt circuitaround said lamp, a push button switch, and an audible electric signalcircuit within which said contact member, lamp, bracket and push buttonswitch are connected in series.

2. A door signal device comprising a casing, a

key operated lock including a casing mounted Within said casing andprovided with a bolt to be projected by the key of the lock, a bracketsupported by and in electrical connection with said lock casing, acontact member mounted upon said bracket, means for electricallyinsulating said member from said bracket, a lamp mounted upon saidbracket, said bracket being in electrical connection with one terminalof said lamp and said contact member being in electrical connection withthe other terminal of said lamp and normally in spaced relation to saidbolt to be contacted thereby upon projection of said bolt, a push buttonswitch, an audible signal, and an electric circuit within which saidpush button switch, audible a.

signal, bracket and contact member are connected in series, said contactmember and lock together forming a' shunt circuit around said lamp whensaid bolt of said lock is projected into contact with said contactmember.

CARL G. NIETO.

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